This can be a very intimidating process, but with consistency, positive reinforcement, watchfulness and timing, potty training can be a successful process.
At 8-10 weeks old, puppies will usually go to the bathroom just a few minutes after eating/drinking/waking up. When you notice your puppy losing interest in his food, put a leash on your puppy and take him/her outside to a designated potty spot. Say GO POTTY (or whatever word cues you’ve chosen) and walk your puppy around a bit and praise him/her when he goes potty, saying GOOD PUPPY (or whatever word cue you’ve chosen). Do not let the puppy off the leash or let him/her play until he has gone potty. Your puppy has been trained using pee pads. As soon as the puppy starts going potty, say GOOD PUPPY (or whatever word cue you’ve chosen). If your puppy is having a difficult time with potty training, you may want to offer water to your puppy every 30-60 minutes during the day instead of leaving it accessible at all times. This will allow you to better monitor your puppy’s need to go potty.
When inside, always monitor your puppy. Make sure you can see him/her at all times and watch for these signs that he has to go potty:
- Circling
- Sniffing
- Trying to sneak off and hide
- Squatting
If you see any of these things happening, pick your puppy up immediately and take him/her outside to his potty spot and say “GO POTTY” and praise him/her as he’s going.
If you are busy and cannot watch your puppy, put him/her in his crate. Puppies do not want to potty where they sleep. Or, you can put your puppy on a leash while you are working/in the house. When you feel the leash move, you can check on your puppy to see if he is exhibiting any signs of needing to go potty. Make sure to quickly carry your puppy outside when he has to go. Timing is everything.
If your puppy has an accident, clean it up (blot it and spray with 50/50 water and vinegar solution), but don’t yell at or punish your puppy. If you catch your puppy in the act, say NO in a firm voice and take him/her out immediately. Always praise your puppy when he goes potty outside.
Puppies that are 8-10 weeks old will need to go out about every 30 minutes to establish the habit of going potty outside. As your puppy ages, you can gradually stretch the time to an hour between outside potty trips until finally your puppy will let you know when he needs to go out. There are several apps (both free and paid) to help you monitor your puppy during potty training. You may find one helpful. We have used the app Puddle and Pile with great success. It can take up to 8 weeks after your puppy comes home for him/her to be successfully potty trained. Stay consistent and use lots of positive reinforcement during the training process.
